For the past few seasons, Jesse Lingard has not performed to the level desired by the club, and that has irked the fans. The English player has only come off the bench to make an appearance at the closing stages of the game in recent times and not made any remarkable impact. This season he has featured in 20 matches for the club, without scoring any goal or providing any assists. The less we look at his statistics, the better for the man.
Now The Independent states that the Man United player is considering a move to Italy, following the footsteps of Smalling and Young. Here we take a look at how Ole Gunnar Solskjær would cope up with the loss of Lingard if at all he leaves this summer.
Odion Ighalo
In a world where football is driven by money, one does not easily find players ready to take a considerable pay cut to play for a particular club. However, the Nigerian has done precisely that as he has said no to a contract extension with his parent club Shanghai Greenland Shenhua to stay at Old Trafford. This has allowed the Red Devils to extend his loan spell that was to expire soon.
Initially brought in to compensate for the loss of Rashford to an injury, the veteran striker has done exceptionally well for himself and the club with the limited opportunities that he has got. Scoring four goals in 8 matches across all competitions, the forward has earned the trust of the manager, and it is expected that he would play a prominent role at United next season.
Jadon Sancho
The former Manchester City star is heavily linked with Solskjær’s side, and if the board successfully completes the deal, it would be a massive coup for the team. One of the most talented youngsters in the world at the moment, the Englishman has done wonders for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that he would not be able to repeat the same feat in the Premier League.
Adept at playing at several positions throughout the frontline, the 20-year-old has scored 17 goals and amassed 16 assists for his side this season. The figures have been stunning for the forward, and the supporters would believe that he would have the same kind of impact in his home soil as well.
Mason Greenwood
His role at the club has been similar to that of Lingard, the only difference being his statistics and prospects have been far better. Greenwood has made 22 appearances in the league this season, 18 out of which have been from the bench. The entire club have tremendous faith upon him and sees big things waiting for the starlet in the future.
With adequate gametime, Greenwood can develop into a potent forward and make full use of his talent. The absence of Lingard can finally provide him with ample chance to shine for the team and be a serious contender for a starting berth in the near future.
